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MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD
This one was a disappointment. The plot seems to be "sword-kun briefly feels inadequate but actually the story makes him incapable of losing". You can't say I didn't try, because I watched 6 whole episodes. The first couple episodes are this Japanese salaryman doing some standard "training montage" stuff as a legendary sword that he was reincarnated into, with some stat screen bullcrap. Then he effortlessly saves the main character (a catgirl) from slavery and a giant 3-headed bear.

When they get to their first town, the first example is he feels sad that his attack stats are lower than all the other ... weapons, BUT ACTUALLY he has a special skill that lets him double his attack power using mana! Then the entire town goes into a goblin dungeon and the cat girl effortlessly demolishes the entire dungeon with Sword-kun. They get to the final boss who is a "greater demon" and shockingly, he actually cuts off the cat girl's hands BUT ACTUALLY Sword-kun has been training his healing powers and fixes that with absolutely no side effects whatsoever. Then the Greater Demon (that's his name, seriously) casts a spell to steal Cat Girl's sword skill BUT ACTUALLY it doesn't work because Sword-kun is sharing his sword skill with Cat Girl. This felt like a waste of my time, I kept waiting for it to get good. Don't waste your time with this one.

I don't often write reviews for an anime, unless I really want people to watch something I loved.... or I don't want them to waste their time. And that's exactly what this show is. A waste of potential and a waste of time. The main story arc wraps up in 7 episodes, and really it's only tolerable for about that many.

The Premise: There are like 40 teenagers who get transported to a fantasy world, and they all get the best "cheat skills" while the MC is trying to avoid the isekai portal. Then he gets the bargain bin of literally all the skills that ... are leftover like "Walking Sensitivity" and "Packing". Then he started trying to build a life for himself in the middle of the woods and slowly but surely, he interacts with the rest of his peers and discovers a conspiracy that will be the end of all the students.

The Problem: Oh boy. First of all, the MC never passes up an opportunity to monologue in his head about how all his skills are useless, but it's very obvious to everyone except the MC that his powers are OP. Second, none of the skills have any explanation to how they work individually, and so there's no way for the audience to understand how the MC is using them in combination. At one point the MC literally creates a special weapon skill called "Made Up Skill" and just whacks a big boss monster with it and that's that. The MC is fun for the first few episodes, and I liked the running gag that he's constantly trying to get away from everyone and WANTS to be a "loner", but he never puts too much effort into it and the DOZENS of nameless characters keep pulling him back into their own conflicts. I'm not kidding about "dozens", either. In the first few minutes of the first episode, the MC has an internal monologue where he pans over to his classmates and describes them as "the nerds", "the jocks", "the delinquents", etc. The only character who has an iota of a personality is actually just named "Miss Class President". I am aware that these characters have names, but even by episode 8, none of them are revealed. And episode 8 is when I quit this anime.

This was an amazing anime, especially the English dub. Solid 10/10, the voice actors do everything they can to elevate the script and bring their own interpretation to the characters they are playing. From Alejandro Saab voicing the MC Junichi's multiple personalities and internal monologue, to Brad Smeaton doing the best Yoda, Rob Schneider, and Arnold Schwarzenegger impressions he has as the sidekick Shinpei, the English voice acting is top notch in this one. Jamie Marchi, who voices the female lead Yukana, also does a flawless "valley girl" impression and the other gyarus all have their own distinct personalities and vocal quirks.

The episodes follow a ... pretty predictable formula, until the last two which form the climax: Junichi gets some bad advice from his three perverted friends who know nothing about girls, he acts on that advice or lets it cause him to doubt himself, and then hijinks ensue. For her part, the main heroine defies all stereotypes of the "gyaru" and despite being so popular, is actually very considerate, selfless, and easy-going. She stands up for herself, and also tells the protagonist how she feels often.

Now to talk about the elephant in the room: Minoru. The fat friend is an unapologetic pedophile, which is really disconcerting at first. You kind of have to get through it to enjoy the rest of the story, and just remind yourself that they're all like 15 years old anyways so their teenage delusions and fantasies are not coming from a place of adult wisdom or maturity.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed the soundtrack, animation, voice acting, and humor of this show. It's heartwarming and wholesome, and I laughed so much when Junichi and Yukana inevitably gets sucked into his friends' antics. I think it's a powerful reminder of what many adults went through as teenagers, and it reminds us that we were young once too, not really knowing how the world works but also just trying to form some connections with others and explore our own identities.

Adding "Kemono Michi" to my top 10 list of Isekai anime, mainly for its lack of a stat system. The story centers around the characters actions and relationships more than their attack power or legendary weapons. If you are interested in something that pokes fun at the Isekai genre tropes, but also is grounded and tells a heartwarming story of finding the good in everyone, no matter how big or small, then "Kemono Michi" is the right show for you!

With a diverse cast including, but not limited to: a dragon loli, a horny vampire lady, a cute puppy, and a full bestiary of fantasy ... monsters who've never done anything wrong in their life ever (we know this, and we love them), this anime is a great watch that introduces new characters in every episode that you are guaranteed to remember and enjoy.

I have watched all four seasons of "Zero no Tsukaima" multiple times since I was a teenager, and it always stuck out in my mind as the first anime story I watched where the side characters are actually well-written and have their own conflicts and character development. My rating was a 9/10, but had to lower it to just 7/10 after recently binge-watching the entire series. DO NOT LET THIS REVIEW DISCOURAGE YOU FROM WATCHING THE OTHER 3 SEASONS! In fact, "Familiar of Zero: F" is actually pretty good until the 4th episode, so I would suggest to any first-time viewer: just watch until the ... 3rd episode! My favorite thing about the entire "Familiar of Zero" story is how well the side-characters (Kirche, Jean Colbert, Tabitha) are written and how every character goes through some growth, and any fan of good storytelling will appreciate the soft magic system and the worldbuilding in this show.

My ONLY complaint is how the show couldn't quite stick the landing with a good ending. Part of this might have been that the author of the light novel, Nobura Yamagutchi, was struggling with cancer and eventually passing away in 2013. (The manga ran from 2004 to 2011.) I thoroughly enjoyed the show and absolutely devoured the episodes leading up to this final season, despite some of the flaws with the two main characters (Louise and Saito) in the story, but after the 3rd episode it felt like the story itself was meandering and couldn't find a good place to end. But maybe that's a metaphor for life sometimes...

Two bros chillin' in a hot tub, 5 feet apart because they're not gay. Once you scratch beneath the surface of the homoerotic jokes and fanservice, this is a story about not just second chances, but the opportunity to become a better person than who you were raised to be. "I was scolded for relying too much on others. I was told that tears weren't good. Never waver, always conduct yourself in a dignified way. Never show your weakness. Baring your heart to another is showing vulnerability." This is a story about breaking the mold of toxic masculinity and the emotionally repressive cultures some of ... us find ourselves born into. This is a story about being yourself.

"This is a love comedy between and old guy and a person who used to be an old guy."

At first I didn't like the CGI animation and the story wasn't exciting. There wasn't any fast-paced action, or gut-busting comedy, or heartwarming romance. What this show did have was MUSIC. Oh my Haruhi, did this show have music! From the piano ballad for the young duke's maid crush, to the Broadway number he sings about two girls taking a bath together, to the symphony that plays at the end of every episode.

This anime is a soundtrack for the Otaku soul, a series of songs and music that just entertains and delights from start to finish. Each episode I watched as quickly as possible ... to find out what new piece the main character would play or sing for the audience he almost seems to know is there. Truly an 11/10 on the Sound score and a 10/10 Overall.

I'd rate this one as pretty "great", solid 9/10. Just for the representation of polygamy alone, it's unique, but I also see some depth in the characters like in Kuzo no Honkai. Also like that anime and Domestic Kanojo, there's a nuance to the characters because it's a drama and you have to understand what they're all thinking and feeling to feel the tension.

There's some good comedy in Kanojo mo Kanojo too, and it does a good job of showing the jealousy and insecurity inherent in a polygamous relationship, but the characters work through it and learn to care about each other's feelings.

Kotoura-san is a masterpiece (hence my overall 10 rating for this one) in writing. Specifically, writing good characters that change and grow as the story progresses. A big issue with high school rom-com stories, aside from the usual male protag-kun and his harem of female tropes, is how writers treat teenagers like they're just blank characters with no feelings or motivations.

Not only for the kids in the high school, but from the MC's parents to her teachers, everyone has some depth to why they act the way they do. What struck me the most was how this show handled story elements like trauma, loss, and ... forgiveness. I just LOVE stories like this, that treat the characters like real people, with real experiences and feelings. If I had to summarize this anime in one theme, it'd be "second chances", because basically, every character in the show gets an opportunity to look at their future as a way to make up for their past and be better people.

This show is a masterpiece of anime and some of you people who don't appreciate that, don't deserve to watch it. Although it's only 5 episodes, this show will genuinely make you laugh out loud with every episode. While the art is not what could typically be described as "sakuga", the comedic writing more than makes up for it, and actually makes watching this anime more like reading a manga in panels, complete with sound effects and visual gags.

The different scenes are short and sweet enough, and go by so fast, that you barely have time to rest before the next punch line hits you ... in the gut. From misunderstandings about this retired yakuza's daily tasks with the local police, to all the run-ins he has with former gang rivals, Tacchan has his work cut out for him if he wants to be a good househusband. But at the end of the day, all this grizzled martial artist turned meek homemaker cares about, is making his wife smile.